Ebenezer Uniting Church is Australia's first Presbyterian church in the colony and is the oldest remaining. The church came into being following the arrival in the colony of New South Wales of eight families on board the Coromandel in 1802. These families included Davison, Hall, Howe, Johnston, Johnstone, Mein, Stubbs and Turnbull and they settled in Portland Head in early 1803. They were joined by seven other families (Arndell, Bushell, Grono, Cavanough, Jacklin, Suddis and Jones) who had also settled locally. Meeting regularly on Sundays for services on Ebenezer Mount from 1803, one of their members, James Mein, led the group in prayers and hymns beneath the historic tree which still stands today.
In 1808 at a special meeting in the home of Dr Thomas Arndell, a surgeon who came out on the First Fleet, each family pledged itself to the building of a church and school. The total cost of £400 was obtained from voluntary subscriptions. Pioneer Owen Cavanough donated four acres of land on which to build the church. Andrew Johnston designed the church and supervised its construction. George Hall swam his bullocks across the river to haul the stone to the site. Built of locally obtained materials – sandstone, cedar wood and hardwood – it was constructed in 1809.
Under the leadership of schoolmaster John Youl, a school began onsite in 1810 and operated until 1887 when the new public school was built. The schoolmaster’s residence appears to have been built circa 1817. The church is the oldest extant school building in Australia.
Please note that the cache is not located at the posted coordinates.
WP1: At the posted coordinates (S 33 32.183 E 150 53.411) is a small plaque commemorating the first service held in the area beneath the historic tree.
The plaque was unveiled AB October CDEF. Also take note of the Elders name which is required for WP2.
Calculate WP2 by subtracting (A)(E) from the last three digits of the latitude of WP1 and adding (A+C+F)(D-C+B) to the last three digits of longitude of WP1.
WP2: will take you to the grave of the Elder who performed the first service mentioned on the plaque at WP1.
The date of death is recorded as died G July HIJK.
Calculate WP3 by adding (H+K) to the last three digits of the latitude of WP2 and adding (G*(I+J)) to the last three digits of longitude of WP2.
WP3: will take you to the oldest known grave in the cemetery for Sarah Gilkerson.
The age of Sarah Gilkerson is recorded as L weeks old.
GZ: to work out your final destination for this cache calculate the following
S 33 (G)(A+H).(H-B)(K)(D-L) E 150 (L+F)(C+J).(I-L)(E-F)(K)
Note: Bring your own pen/pencil to sign the log.
For the EG-Q#25: Final Puzzle, take a note of how many windows on the church are facing the roadway.